As we all know you are only as old as you feel. So with May being Older Americans Month, we wanted to acknowledge our older Americans and remind them about how important they are to us.
Recognition of Older Americans Month is led by the Administration for Community Living, and this year’s theme is Age Out Loud.
First created in 1965 when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Older Americans Act into law, this legislation was created to recognize the need for and fund some of the vital critical services designed to keep older adults healthy and independent. These services include meals, job training, senior centers, caregiver support, transportation, health promotion, benefits enrollment and much more.
In 2016, nearly five years after the original law expired, it was revived when legislation to reauthorize the Act was passed by Congress with unanimous, bipartisan support and signed into law by President Obama as the 2016 OAA Act Reauthorization. The new law reauthorizes all of the original law’s programs through 2019.
The revised law also includes provisions aimed at protecting vulnerable elders by strengthening the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program and elder abuse screening and prevention efforts. It also promotes the delivery of evidence-based programs, such as falls prevention and chronic disease self-management programs.
This year’s Age Out Loud theme provides an opportunity to recognize the many important issues and trends that impact older Americans. Older Americans are a vital part of our society as they work longer, try new things and engage in their communities more than they ever have in the past. Older Americans strive for wellness, focus on independence and take very active roles in advocating for themselves and others.
Aging has changed. So Older Americans Month marks a perfect time to recognize those changes and celebrate.